The four years power tussle in the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP) between Dele Odule and Victor Ashaolu was settled by a court judgment In February 2014, which favoured the latter.
This did not go down well with the former, who later went to form
another association along with some other veteran actors in the Yoruba sector
of the Nigerian film industry.
Popular actors such as Bolaji Amusan (Mr Latin), Yemi Solade, Saidi
Balogun, Yinka Quadri, Peju Ogunmola, Taiwo Hassan (Ogogo), and many others
pitched tent with the new group.
Some days ago, First Weekly had a brief chat with
Lere Paimo, also known as Eda Onile Ola,
who is a veteran actor in the Yoruba movie industry.
In his assertion, the iconic
actor disclosed that TAMPAN can be likened to the Biblical prodigal son, who
left his father to sojourn in a foreign land, but later returned to beg his
father after he realized his mistakes.
“TAMPAN is still our child,” Lere Paimo said, “they will still come back
because the problem that caused their breakaway from ANTP is a family issue.
When a child fights his father and moves out of his house, does it mean he is
no more his dad’s child?,” the actor queried.
“We (ANTP) will take them (TAMPAN) back when they return to apologise
for their wrongdoing. You remember the story of the prodigal son in the Bible,”
Lere Paimo told First Weekly. He urged members of the group to retrace their
steps in order not to bring anger on themselves because “Hubert Ogunde would
not be happy that the group (ANTP) he laboured to establish has been scattered
by those who should know better. ANTP is the body set up by our fathers in the
Yoruba movie industry,” he said.